A conventional steam accumulator is an upright vessel containing a body of water heated to above 100.degree. C. Above the liquid body within the vessel there is a so-called steam space and a discharge conduit from which steam may be drawn and through which the upright vessel is charged opens at the extreme upper end of the vessel into this steam space.
A generally upright and tubular guide is provided within the vessel to subdivide the body of water therein into a central column and an annular peripheral column surrounding the central column. This guide is at least partially formed as an upwardly tapered frustocone so that the water within the vessel rises through the central column and decends in the annular outer or downcomer column.
This arrangement has the disadvantage that when the vessel is emptied rapidly the wall of the vessel will be warmer than its contents so that this wall will heat up the liquid descending in the outer column and form vapor bubbles in this outer column. These vapor bubbles impede flow considerably and make it difficult to pull dry steam out of the device. As the size of the unit is increased this problem takes on major proportions.